New Delhi: Delhi airport operator DIAL on Tuesday informed the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) that the work on the now closed runway RWY 10/28 is expected to be completed by January 19 for inspection by aviation regulator DGCA, according to sources.
The closure of the key CAT III-compliant runway, which was scheduled to be operational from the first week of January, has come into focus in the wake of fog-related disruptions that have impacted a significant number of flights in recent days.
On Tuesday, more than 50 flights were delayed due to adverse weather conditions but there were no diversions, an official said. A day after Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia asked DIAL to expedite the operationalisation of the runway RWY 10/28, the airport operator on Tuesday told the ministry that the maintenance work was impacted due to various reasons, including disruption in raw material supply, as per the sources in the know. In a communication to the ministry on Tuesday, Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) said it was committed to complete the project at the earliest and is targeting to complete all activities by 19th January for DGCA inspection.
On Tuesday, Scindia said the operationalisation of RWY 10/28 will be done after re-carpeting work. The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in the national capital has four runways -- RW 09/27, RW 11R/29L, RW 10/28 and RW 11L/29R. Out of them, three runways, including CAT III-compliant RW 11L/29R, are operational. The airport handles around 1,300 flights daily.
CAT III compliance allows for operating flights in low visibility conditions.